NeighborsDigest

On Saturday, Sept. 13, the Juneau Raptor Center and the Trust for Public Land will celebrate the addition of 10.5 acres of land to Brotherhood Park in the Mendenhall Valley. The site is also the future home of the Juneau Raptor Center.

A reception, which is free and open to the public, begins at 1 p.m. at Riverbend School. It will feature remarks by Mayor Smith and Connie McKenzie, who will represent Sen. Ted Stevens at the event. The Juneau Raptor Center will also present a model of its new education and bird care facility, to be called the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Center.

A highlight of the afternoon will be a walk from Riverbend School to Brotherhood Park for a release of rehabilitated wild birds at 2:30 p.m. Mayor Smith will release an eagle as part of a dedication of the land for the new raptor center facility.

The Juneau Raptor Center was founded in 1987 to care for injured raptors reported to wildlife agencies and quickly expanded to accept any species of bird. In a typical year, the center receives injured birds from Wrangell, Petersburg, Hoonah, Gustavus, Tenakee, Pelican, Haines, Elfin Cove, Angoon, Yakutat and Skagway, in addition to the birds reported by Juneau residents. The Center has worked with the Trust for Public Land and the City and Borough of Juneau since 2001 to acquire land for a complete facility, which was accomplished through funding secured by Alaska senator Ted Stevens.

The Juneau Raptor Center has long provided education through classroom visits with live birds, participation in activities such as Sea Week and children's camps, internship offers and volunteer opportunities to students and adults in the community. In the past year, the center has presented programs and training in the capture and care of injured birds in Haines, Wrangell and Mosquito Lake.

The new facility will enable the organization to expand its educational opportunities while continuing its bird care mission. The Alaska Coastal Wildlife Center will feature hands on natural science activities, touch tanks, classes and programs, exhibits of birds and other wildlife, and the opportunity for interested kids and adults to participate in bird care, internships and research projects.

The Saturday reception and bird release offers the community an opportunity to visit with the Juneau Raptor Center and share ideas for this new community facility. For more information, contact Sandy at 586-2207.

Salomon Smith Barney contribute to Red Cross

The Juneau office of Salomon Smith Barney recently presented a $2,500 check to the Southeast Alaska District of the American Red Cross. The funds were donated through Citigroup Foundation as part of a local contribution program conducted at SSB branches across the country.

Rotary Club selling bulbs through Oct. 4

As a fund-raiser, Juneau-Gastineau Rotary Club is now selling Rotary Bulbs, complete with a flower bulb menu and order form.

The club is selling mixes such as crocus, daffodil, tulip (tall and aplenglow), hardy early bird, iris, oriental lily and fancy daffs; as well as ala carte selections, including grape hyacinth, Aladdin record tulips, snowdrops, double beauty of apeldoom tulips, Peeping Tom daffs and an anemone de Caen mix.

Gardeners can also order a Rotary Yard Slave for $25 per hour, where a slave will prepare the garden bed and plant the bulbs. The Rotary Club is also accepting donations to go toward public planting at the Pioneers Home, Wildflower Court and the University of Alaska Southeast. The bulb orders may be picked up from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 4 at AEL&P.

Ovarian cancer whispers, so listen closely

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and the Alaska Division of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) encourages women to listen closely to their bodies; it could save a life.

Ovarian cancer is a dead1y disease - the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women. In 2003, it can be expected that nearly 25,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and nearly 15,000 will die from the disease.

And, while often thought of as a disease that primarily affects older women, the fact is that ovarian cancer strikes women of all ages, including young girls and teenagers.

Like many other cancers, the key is early detection - early detection gives a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer a nearly four times greater chance of survival. Although no early diagnostic test for ovarian cancer is yet available, several are being evaluated in clinical trials across the country.

The challenge for women and for the medical community, however, is to identify the subtle symptoms associated with the disease.

Such symptoms include pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort; persistent indigestion or nausea; frequent urination or changes in bowel habits; ongoing fatigue and pelvic and/or abdominal swelling; and bloating that does not go away.

If you have these symptoms, do not ignore them - see your doctor or gynecologist. If you have a family history of ovarian, breast, endometrial, prostate or colon cancer, tell your doctor. Remember, recognizing these symptoms can save a woman's life. If you think you may be at risk, talk to your doctor about having a recto-vaginal exam, transvaginal sonography, and a CA-125 blood test.

Although ovarian cancer physically affects only women, the toll the disease takes on husbands, fathers, brothers and sons is enormous.

The disease robs families of their mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, often after years of debilitating illness and with a huge emotional and financial cost.

To learn more about risks and symptoms of ovarian cancer, call the Alaska Division of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition at 274-1190 or the national office at (888) 0VARIAN. Or visit our website at www.ovarian.org.